Transistor structure having an electrical contact structure with multiple metal interconnect levels staggering one another

ABSTRACT

An electrical contact structure distributes current along a length thereof. The electrical contact structure includes a plurality of n metal rectangles on n levels of metal. The rectangle on one metal level is at least as wide in width and vertically covers in width the rectangle on the metal level immediately below. The rectangle on one metal level is shorter in length than and substantially aligned at a first end with the rectangle on the metal level immediately below. Rectangle first ends are substantially aligned. Features of an exemplary FET transistor of this invention are a source and drain terminal electrical contact structure, a multi-level metal ring connecting gate rectangles on both ends, and a wider-than-minimum gate-to-gate spacing. The invention is useful, for example, in an electromigration-compliant, high performance transistor.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application is a Divisional of U.S. application Ser. No.13/347,851, filed on Jan. 11, 2012, which is a Divisional of U.S.application Ser. No. 12/116,470, filed on May 7, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No.8,178,908, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein byreference.

This invention was made with Government support under Contract Nos.:N66001-05-C-8013 and N66001-02-C-8014 awarded by the DARPA—DefenseAdvanced Research Project Agency. The Government has certain rights inthis invention.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to semiconductor devices andintegrated circuits (ICs) and, more particularly, the invention relatesto the layout of field effect transistors (FET) implemented incomplementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

CMOS technology is receiving increasing attention for radio frequencyand millimeter wave (mmWave) applications due to integration of digitalprocessors and memory circuits with RF circuits. Cut-off frequency(f_(T)) and maximum oscillation frequency (f_(MAX)) are recognized asperformance figures-of-merit for semiconductor devices. f_(T) is thefrequency at which the forward small-signal, short-circuit current gainof an active device has a value of unity. f_(MAX) is the frequency atwhich the power gain of the device falls to unity. As the frequency ofoperation of ICs moves closer to the peak f_(T) and f_(MAX) of thetechnology, layout optimization becomes crucial to the design.

As is well known, f_(T) and f_(MAX) for a CMOS device are mainly limitedby the parasitic components associated with the devices gate, source anddrain connections in addition to the intrinsic transit time from sourceto drain across the device channel. The most significant parasitics arethe gate-source capacitance (Cgs), gate-drain capacitance (Cgd) and gateresistance (Rg). For an FET, FIG. 1A is a top view 100 of the FET, FIG.1B is a cross-section view 120 of the FET, and FIG. 1C illustrates asimplified equivalent circuit schematic 140 of the FET. The views 100,120 and 140 show the parasitic capacitances Cgs 122, Cgd 123 and Cds124. Equivalent circuit 140 and view 100 also show the gate resistance(Rg) 141. In FIG. 2, equations 1 and 2 show the fundamental theoreticalrelationship between the parasitic components and the FET figures ofmerit. Each parasitic element in these equations consists of a componentintrinsic to the device and an extrinsic component related to its metalinterconnections.

Contemporary ICs, such as input-out drivers or power amplifiers, facemultiple challenges. They operate at RF and mmWave frequencies whileamplifying, receiving or delivering signals with voltage amplitudescomparable to or higher than the power supply of the circuit, and/or apower in the order of milliwatts or higher. Connections to devices inICs, for example, connections to an FET device, will operate atrelatively large current densities and may face electromigration (EM)reliability issues. When electrical current flows through metalconductors or interconnections, EM or current limiting mechanisms due toheat may occur, causing failure of ICs. EM is due to metal atoms beingpushed, in proportion to the current density, by the electron flowcomprising the current. This may cause disconnection of theinterconnection or an open circuit. As the cross-section of metalinterconnects becomes smaller with technology scaling, current densitybecomes larger for a given amount of current being carried, and EMbecomes more severe.

An EM compliant FET usually requires a larger amount of metallization.This adds parasitic capacitance and resistance, degrading the devicecut-off frequency (f_(T)) and maximum oscillation frequency (f_(MAX)).An FET that must handle large signals at high frequencies faces thechallenge of both, being EM compliant with respect to high directcurrent and high alternating current, and attaining the highest possiblef_(T) and f_(MAX).

As is known in the art, ICs usually are fabricated to include aplurality of metal conductor layers, typically up to 8. The metal layersare interconnected using vias. In ICs operating at RF and mmWavefrequencies, the connections between devices and sub-circuits tocommunicate electrical signals are usually implemented with transmissionline structures formed by a conductor at a high metal level and a groundplane at a low metal level. The high metal levels are usually thicker,therefore providing lower resistance, and are a longer distance fromlower metal levels, where the ground plane usually resides. Bothcharacteristics are desirable for transmission line design. An effectivelayout design for an FET operating at RF and mmWave frequencies musttake into account all of the metal levels and vias required for itsconnection to the highest metal levels of the technology, wheretransmission lines will carry the signals related to the device.

In U.S. Pat. No. 7,132,717, the disclosure of which is incorporatedherein by reference, a power metal oxide semiconductor transistor layoutis disclosed. The power metal oxide semiconductor transistor layout usesnetwork of conductive lead line as a connection or a network connectionto connect source and drain regions thereby achieves advantages of ahigh uniformity of current, low Rds_on, much less power loss, an actualline density two times larger than that of conventional layouts and astrengthened resistance to electron migration.

In U.S. Pat. No. 6,958,541, the disclosure of which is incorporatedherein by reference, a region on a substrate contains multipletransistors in parallel that share a single salicided polysilicon gateelectrode. Above or below the gate electrode are formed multiple plugsof refractory material along the length of the gate electrode. Themultiple plugs of refractory material electrically interconnect the gatesignal line and the salicided polysilicon gate electrode. The plugmaterial is selected to minimize the work function between it and thesalicided polysilicon gate electrode.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Principles of the invention provide an improved transistor havingimprovements in, for example, electromigration compliance andperformance. Features of an exemplary FET transistor of this inventionare a source and drain terminal electrical contact structure, amulti-level metal ring connecting gate rectangles on both ends, and awider-than-minimum gate-to-gate spacing.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an electricalcontact structure is provided, wherein the electrical contact structuredistributes current along a length thereof. The electrical contactstructure comprises a plurality of n metal rectangles on n levels ofmetal, wherein the rectangle on one metal level is at least as wide inwidth and vertically covers in width the rectangle on the metal levelimmediately below, wherein the rectangle on one metal level is shorterin length than and substantially aligned at a first end with therectangle on the metal level immediately below, and wherein rectanglefirst ends are substantially aligned.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a transistoris provided. The transistor comprises at least one electrical contactstructure comprising a plurality of n metal rectangles on n levels ofmetal, wherein the rectangle on one metal level is at least as wide inwidth and vertically covers in width the rectangle on the metal levelimmediately below, wherein the rectangle on one metal level is shorterin length than and substantially aligned at a first end with therectangle on the metal level immediately below, wherein rectangle firstends are substantially aligned, and wherein the metal rectangle on eachmetal level except the lowest metal level is coupled with the metalrectangle on the metal level immediately below. The transistor alsocomprises a gate terminal. The gate terminal comprises at least one gaterectangle, wherein gate rectangles are oriented in the same direction.The transistor also comprises two source-drain terminals each comprisingat least one source-drain rectangle, wherein the at least onesource-drain rectangle is coupled to at least one electrical contactstructure.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention a method forsupplying current to source-drain regions of a transistor is provided.The method comprises the step of contacting and supplying current to adiffused rectangular source-drain region of the transistor, wherein thecurrent is supplied through a lowest metal level first rectangular metalconductor. The first rectangular metal conductor substantially overlapsthe source-drain region, is coupled to the source-drain region, and hasa first end. The method also comprises contacting and supplying currentto the first rectangular metal conductor. The current is suppliedthrough n rectangular metal conductors on n metal levels. Therectangular metal conductor is coupled to the rectangular metalconductor on the immediately lower metal level. The rectangular metalconductor is aligned at the first end with the rectangular metalconductor on the immediately lower metal level, and the rectangularmetal conductor first ends are substantially aligned. The rectangularmetal conductor is shorter in length than the rectangular metalconductor on the immediately lower metal level. The rectangular metalconductor is at least as wide in width as the rectangular metalconductor on the immediately lower metal level, and the rectangularmetal conductor is partially overlapping the rectangular metal conductoron the immediately lower metal level.

These and other objects, features, and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent from the following detailed descriptionof illustrative embodiments thereof, which is to be read in connectionwith the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a top view of an FET.

FIG. 1B is a cross-section view of the FET of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 1C illustrates a simplified equivalent circuit schematic of the FETof FIGS. 1A and 1B.

FIG. 2 contains equations showing the impact of FET parasitics oncurrent and power cut-off frequencies

FIG. 3 is a top view of a conventional FET transistor.

FIG. 4 is a top view of an FET transistor according to an embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the gate structure of an FET transistoraccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-section of a source-drain contact structure accordingto an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a top view of FET transistor components according to anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a cross-section of a source-drain contact structure accordingto an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a cross-section of a source-drain contact structure accordingto an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a top view of an FET transistor used with transmission linesaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a top view of two FET transistors in parallel according to anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12A is a schematic view of two FET transistors connected in series.

FIG. 12B is a top view of two FET transistors connected in seriesaccording to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 13A is a schematic view of two FET transistors connected as adifferential pair.

FIG. 13B is a top view of two FET transistors connected as adifferential pair according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It is well known in the art that IC are fabricated with many levels ofmetal used for interconnect or signal or power supply routing. All metallevels are substantially in planes above and parallel to the surface ofthe silicon. The lowest level metal will be closest to the surface ofthe silicon, and the highest level of metal furthest away, withintermediate levels between. Metal connectors, interconnects and runnersare terms used to indicate a route of metal used as a connection. Theseconnectors, interconnects and runners are typically constructed form oneor more rectangular features, typically but not necessarily, long andnarrow. Metal connectors, interconnects and runners may be constructedon multiple levels of metal, sometimes having similar shape and sizerectangles over or partially over, that is overlapping or partiallyoverlapping, each other with vertical connections, called vias,physically located between and connecting overlapping features ondifferent metal levels. ICs typically, but not always, have 5 to 8 metallevels.

FET transistors typically have at least three terminals, gate, sourceand drain. Current flows between the source and drain and is modulatedby the gate. The gate is usually at least partially constructed frompolysilicon material, usually in the shape of a rectangle or multipleparallel rectangles. The source and drain are at least usually partiallyconstructed by implanting or diffusing impurities into the source anddrain areas of the FET. The source drain areas are usually rectangular.The impurities are put into these areas on the silicon by diffusion orimplantation and are typically called diffusion areas. The gatepolysilicon, drain diffusion areas and source diffusion areas aretypically connected to metal to allow electrical connection.

It is understood that the physical structures comprising an FET arethree dimensional. However for ease of explanation, three dimensionalgate, source, drain and metal runner volumes will be referred to in atwo dimensional sense as they appear when looking down for above. Forexample, a metal connector will be referred to as a rectangle instead ofa rectangular cube where the thickness of the metal along the axisperpendicular to the plane of the silicon will be ignored. This is notmeant to in any way limit the invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, a conventional FET transistor 300 consists of aplurality of parallel polysilicon gate fingers or rectangles 301situated between diffusion or implanted source-drains regions orrectangles and their connections 302 and 303. The gate rectangles areusually connected together on one side by a polysilicon rectangle 305perpendicular to the gate rectangles. The minimum allowed gate rectangleto gate rectangle spacing 304, known as gate pitch or gate-to-gatespacing, is set by the design rules for the fabrication technology.Design rules are typically determined by the engineers that develop thefabrication technology. They are typically a set of published rules thatgovern physical design of transistors, metal conductors and otherelectrical components to be fabricated in the target technology. Therepurpose is to ensure high yield manufacture. To save area, the minimumallowed spacing is typically used. The lowest level of metal istypically used to contact the source-drain diffusions. Additional metallevels may or may not be places over and coupled to the lowest metallevel for contacting source and drain diffusions. When multiple metallevels are used, typically all metal levels run substantially the entirelength of the diffusion. These metal and diffusion features are alsousually at the minimum separation allowed by the design rules for thefabrication technology. For each metal level, the design rules typicallyspecify a minimum allowed metal-to-metal spacing. For diffusions, thedesign rules typically specify a minimum allowed diffusion-to-diffusionspacing. In a similar way, the minimum spacing between gates, source,and drain connections is typically employed. In a contemporaryintegrated circuit design flow, this is the kind of design layout thatcomputer-aided-design software would generate for FET transistorsemployed in digital circuits. This FET transistor layout results in arelatively high gate resistance Rg, relatively high Cgd, Cgs and Cds dueto the side-wall capacitance between drain, source and gate which aretightly spaced. Gate resistance, Rs, becomes higher as the FET becomeslonger and has more fingers. Moreover, this layout would not tend to beelectromigration compliant for the current densities required to handlelarge signals. Stacking metal layers vertically at the drain and sourceconnections could reduce the current density per metal layer but at theexpense of even larger amounts of side-wall capacitance.

FIG. 4 presents a top-level overview of an embodiment of the presentinvention 400. It is to be understood that even though this drawingshows eight transistor gate fingers or rectangles 401 with associatedsources and drains, the features of the present invention apply to anynumber of parallel gate fingers with associated sources and drains. Themain characteristic features of the FET transistor of this inventionare: (1) a source and drain terminal electrical contact structure 403built from a staircase of interconnected overlapping metals, (2) amulti-level metal 402 connecting all gate rectangles on both ends ofgate rectangles, and (3) a wider-than-minimum gate-to-gate spacing 404.These features are explained in detailed.

A feature of an embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 5.FIG. 5 shows the gate structure with metal interconnect 500. Thepolysilicon gate rectangles 401 are shown. The gate-to-gate spacing orgate pitch 404, i.e. the distance between the gate polysiliconrectangles, is wider than the design rule for the minimum gate-to-gateseparation for the fabrication technology. All gate rectangles areconnected together at the ends of the gate rectangle on both sides ofthe FET through two first level metal connections (M1 a and M1 b) 502and 503 which are metal rectangles. These two parallel M1 gateconnections 502 and 503 are orthogonal or perpendicular to the gaterectangles 401. The two M1 rectangles 502 and 503 are connected togetherthrough two stacked sets of multi-level metal connectors (MSa and MSb)504 and 505, which are metal rectangular. The MS connectors 504 and 505are parallel to the gate rectangles. The M1 connectors 502 and 503 withMS connectors 504 and 505 form a multi-level rectangular ring gateconnector around the active area of the FET, the active area being thesource, drain and gate areas. Another multi-level rectangular metalconnector 507 connects MSa and MSb to top level metal connectionterminal 506. The multi-level metal connector 507 does not include thelowest two level of metal so that these metal levels can be used forrouting under connector 507. Although this embodiment does not use thelowest two levels of metal in conductor 507, other embodiments are notso limited and may use these levels or may be otherwise limited and notuse other specific levels of metal. Using the gate connection structureincluding connectors 502, 503, 504, 505, and 507 in the mannerdescribed, the equivalent resistance seen by each gate finger isminimized. Even though the area for the overall gate terminal is largerthan that in a conventional layout, the direct connection to the gatepolysilicon is with first level metal rather than polysilicon andfurther gate interconnect is with higher metals levels, hence theincrease in Cgs is not significant.

A feature of the embodiment that is illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5 and 7, isthe wider than minimum distance between adjacent polysilicon gates 404.This feature results in reduced gate-drain parasitic capacitance, Cgd,gate-source parasitic capacitance, Cgs, enhanced thermal dissipation,higher stress and allows wider-than-minimum metal connection forenhanced current driving capability.

Another feature of an embodiment of the invention is a staircase-likemultiple level metallization for source and drain connections. Becausethe contacts and other aspects of source and drain structures aresimilar, source and drain structures will sometimes be referred tocollectively using the term source-drain. The teams staircase, staircasestructure, staircase connector and electrical contact structure allrefer to the same structure and are used interchangeably. FIG. 6illustrates the source-drain structure 600, comprising the source-draindiffusion 607 and the electrical contact structure 408 that is thestaircase-like metallization structure used for source and drainconnections. Metal connection is made to the source-drain diffusion 607along substantially the entire length of the diffusion by a metalconnector 408 having an exiting-end 605 only at one end of the diffusion607. The term exiting-end means the end of the connector through whichcurrent is supplied to or extracted from. It is the end of the connectorthat is meant to be coupled to another conductor. Thus the currentcarried by the connector 408 is highest at the exiting-end and decreasesas the connector get further along the diffusion. As the amount ofcurrent increases towards the exiting-end of the connector, the numberof metal layers stacked in parallel increases, forming a staircase ofmetal layers 408. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, at the low currentend of the connector there is only the lowest level of metal 601. As thecurrent increases towards the exiting-end of the connector, metal layers602, 603, and 604 are progressively added. To conduct current form onemetal level to another, coupling vias 608 are between metal layers. Toconduct current between the lowest metal level 601 and diffusion 607,coupling vias 609 are between the lowest metal level 601 and diffusion607.

As higher metal levels are stacked closer to the exiting-end in thisstaircase structure, those added metal levels are made progressivelywider than the underlying metal layer and thus progressively wider thanthe minimum allowed by the design rules of the technology. Using thismetallization strategy, the current density at each metal level can becontrolled to assure electromigration reliability compliance.

In this embodiment as shown if FIG. 4, the source staircase structures408 are oriented in opposite directions from the drain staircasestructures 407, that is, the exiting-ends are on opposite sides of thedevice. Correspondingly, as shown in FIG. 4, the final source contact405 and drain contact 406 are in opposite sides of the FET transistor.Moreover, as shown in FIG. 7, the staircase design for each sourcestaircase 408 or drain staircase 407 can be different since theircurrent densities are not necessarily the same. With respect to ametallization strategy in which multiple metal strips of equal lengthwould be placed in parallel without a staircase, for this embodiment ofthe invention, the amount of side-wall capacitance between the sourceand drain contacts is reduced. This reduces Cds capacitance. Thefringing capacitance between the different metal levels and thepolysilicon gate is also reduced, reducing Cgd and Cgs. A more detailedcross-section view of the staircase metallization is shown in FIG. 8.The staircase metallization shown in FIG. 8 comprises the same fourmetal layers shown in FIGS. 6 (601, 602, 603 and 604) and an additionalhigher metal layer 805. A vertical metal overlap between electricalcontact structure drain connection 810 and gate connection 502 isavoided to reduce the Cgd parasitic capacitance.

In the embodiment, shown in FIG. 4, an overall source connector 405 isused to couple all of the source staircases on one side of the FETtransistor and an overall drain connector 406 is used to couple all ofthe drain staircases on the other side of the FET transistor. Theoverall source connector is a rectangle and includes metal levels thatdo not include the lowest metal level or any overlapped metal levelwithin the drain staircase connector 407. The overall drain connector isa rectangle and includes metal levels that do not include the lowestmetal level or any overlapped metal level within the source staircaseconnector 408. Although in this embodiment connectors 405 and 406 arerectangles, the invention is not so limited and connectors 405 and 406may have other geometric shapes.

In an alternate embodiment overall drain connector 406 will not overlapany source staircase connectors 408 and source overall source connector405 will not overlap any drain staircase connectors 407. This is toreduce drain to source parasite capacitance Cds. In this alternateembodiment overall source and overall drain connectors may include metallevels used in the source and/or drain staircase connectors.

Another embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 9 which isa structure 900 comprising: a ground plane 930, source diffusion 607,polysilicon gate 301 and gate terminal 502, staircase source terminal910 coupled to the source diffusion 607, and a bridge structure 920coupled to the source staircase structure 910 and ground plane 930. Inthis embodiment, the source terminal 910 is to be connected to a groundplane 930 at a low metal level, instead of a transmission line on a highmetal level. In the embodiment shown, the ground plane consists ofdiffusion 933 and low level metal levels 931 and 932. Note however, thatthe ground plane is not thus limited but could consist of diffusion 933,or one or more low level metal level such as 931 and 932, or bothdiffusion 933 and one or more low level metal levels such as 931 and932. A multiple metal level bridge 920 is built from the staircaseconnector 910, over the gate terminal 502, and connecting to the groundplane 930. This give a low resistance connection form the source toground. In this embodiment, the bridge does not use the level of metalimmediately above the gate terminal in passing over the gate terminal.This is to avoid additional Cgs parasitic capacitance. Note thatalthough this embodiment does not use this level, the invention is notso limited and may use this level. Note that this aspect of theinvention is not restricted to connecting to a ground plane or terminal,but could connect to any power or signal plane or terminal.

The embodiment of FIG. 9, where the source terminal is connected to aground plane, is most common in the case of an n-type FET transistor. Analternate embodiment, where the source is connected to a power plane, ismost common in the case of a p-type FET transistor.

FIG. 10 shows an alternate embodiment which is an FET layout 1000 thatgives a convenient connection of high-level metal to transmission lines1001 and 1002. This is useful for use of these devices in RF and mmWaveapplications. This embodiment uses the source to ground bridge structure1003 described in FIG. 9

In another embodiment of the present invention, shown in FIG. 11, acomposite FET transistor 1100 comprising two of FET transistors 1101 and1102 as the test describes with reference to FIG. 4. FET transistors1101 and 1102 are combined in parallel to form an equivalent FETtransistor 1000 with a larger number of gate fingers than each FETtransistor 1101 and 1102 separately. For a given number of total gatefingers required by the design, one option is to include all of them ona single FET as in the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 4.However, a very large number of gate fingers leads to a long device andto a relatively large gate resistance for the gate fingers at thecenter. An alternative is the embodiment shown in FIG. 11 which connectstwo individual FET transistors 1101 and 1102, each having a lower numberof gate fingers, in parallel. The advantage of this embodiment is thatthe two sides (upper and lower) of the gate ring connection are not onlyconnected by a left end connector 1107 and a right end connector 1108but also at one middle connector 1105 at a point that separates one FETtransistor from the other. Since these gate ring connections are donewith multiple intermediate metal levels, as described above withreference to FIG. 5, their resistance is very low, and the equivalentgate resistance seen by each gate finger of the composite larger FETtransistor 1100 will be substantially the same as that seen in the caseof an individual FET component transistor 1101 or 1102. It is noted thatalthough this embodiment shows two combined FET transistors, theinvention is not thus limited and may combine more than two FETtransistors in a similar manner.

Another embodiment of the present invention is presented in FIGS. 12Aand 12B. This embodiment is a series arrangement 1200 of two FETtransistors 1201 and 1202. In RF and mmWave applications, amplifiers anddrivers frequently employ two devices in series in what is called acascode amplifier configuration. FIG. 12A is a schematic diagram of theseries cascode configuration. FIG. 12B shows how two individual FETtransistors, each constructed according to the present invention, arecombined to form the series cascode configuration. FET transistor 1201has a source contact 1203 using a high metal level. FET transistor 1202has a drain contact 1204 using a high metal level. The drain of FETtransistor 1201 is coupled to the source of FET transistor 1202 usingtwo series bridge structure contacts 1207 describe above with referenceto FIG. 9. An example bridge structure is 920 in FIG. 9. The firstbridge contact couples to the drain of FET transistor 1201 to the secondbridge contact. The second bridge contact couples to the source of FETtransistor 1202 to the first bridge contact. Both gate terminals haveseparate high metal level contacts 1205 and 1206. It is noted thatalthough the shown embodiment is two FET transistors in series, theinvention is not thus limited and can similarly arrange more than twoFET transistors in series.

Yet another embodiment is shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B. This embodiment isa two transistor differential configuration 1300 commonly used in RF andmmWave applications. This embodiment is a differential pair, in whichtwo FET transistors 1301 and 1302 share a common source 1303 and keepseparate gate terminals 1305 and 1306 and separate drain terminals 1308and 1309. The gate terminals 1305 and 1306 and the drain terminals 1308and 1309 are high metal level contacts. The source of FET transistor1301 is coupled to the source of FET transistor 1302 using two seriesbridge structure contacts 1303 describe above with reference to FIG. 9.An example bridge structure is 920 in FIG. 9. The first bridge contactcouples to the source of FET transistor 1301 to the second bridgecontact. The second bridge contact couples to the source of FETtransistor 1302 to the first bridge contact. Both gate terminals haveseparate high metal level contacts 1305 and 1306.

Although illustrative embodiments of the present invention have beendescribed herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is tobe understood that the invention is not limited to those preciseembodiments, and that various other changes and modifications may bemade by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope orspirit of the invention.

1. A transistor, comprising: an electrical contact structure comprising:a plurality of n metal rectangles on n levels of metal, wherein themetal rectangle on an uppermost metal level of the electrical contactstructure is wider and shorter than at least one other metal rectangleon a lower metal layer of the electrical contact structure; a gatestructure comprising a plurality of gate rectangles oriented in the samedirection; a plurality of source-drain diffusion regions, wherein eachsource-drain diffusion region is disposed adjacent to, and extends alonglength of, at least one of the gate rectangles, wherein at least onesource-drain diffusion region is coupled to the electrical contactstructure; and a metallic gate connection structure coupled to the gatestructure, the metallic gate connection structure comprising: a firstmetal rectangle on a first metal level, wherein the first metalrectangle is orientated perpendicular to the gate rectangles, andwherein the first metal rectangle is coupled to first ends of the gaterectangles; a second metal rectangle on the first metal level, whereinthe second metal rectangle is orientated perpendicular to the gaterectangle, and wherein the second metal rectangle is coupled to secondends of the gate rectangles, opposite the first ends of the gaterectangles; a third metal rectangle on a second metal level, higher thanthe first metal level, wherein the third metal rectangle is coupled tofirst ends of the first and second metal rectangles; a fourth metalrectangle on the second metal level, wherein the fourth metal rectangleis coupled to second ends of the first and second metal rectangles,opposite the first ends of the first and second metal rectangles; and afifth metal rectangle on a third metal level, higher than the secondmetal level, wherein the fifth metal rectangle is coupled to first endsof the third and fourth metal rectangles.
 2. (canceled)
 3. Thetransistor of claim 1, wherein the third and the fourth metal rectanglesdo not vertically overlap area including the gate structure and thesource-drain diffusion regions.
 4. The transistor of claim 1, whereinthe metallic gate connection structure further comprises a gate contactterminal on a fourth metal level, higher than the third metal level,wherein the gate contact terminal is coupled to the fifth metalrectangle.
 5. The transistor of claim 4 wherein the gate contactterminal does not overlap the area including the gate structure and thesource-drain diffusion regions.
 6. The transistor of claim 1, whereinthe spacing between adjacent gate rectangles is greater than a minimumspacing allowed by a given design rule of the fabrication technologyused to fabricate the transistor.
 7. The transistor of claim 1, furthercomprising a plurality of the electrical contact structures; whereineach of the source and drain diffusion regions is coupled to one of theplurality of electrical contact structures; wherein the electricalcontact structures coupled to the drain diffusion regions are paralleland oriented in the same direction such that the metal rectangles on theuppermost metal level of the electrical contact structures that arecoupled to the drain diffusion regions are disposed on a first side ofthe gate structure; and wherein the electrical contact structurescoupled to the source diffusion regions are parallel and oriented in thesame direction such that the metal rectangles on the uppermost metallevel of the electrical contact structures that are coupled to thesource diffusion regions are disposed on a second side of the gatestructure, opposite the first side of the gate structure.
 8. Thetransistor of claim 7, further comprising: first interconnect, whereinfirst interconnect is a metal rectangle, wherein the first interconnectis coupled to the metal rectangles on the uppermost metal level of theelectrical contact structures that are coupled to the source diffusionregions; and second interconnect, wherein second interconnect is a metalrectangle, wherein the second interconnect is coupled to the metalrectangles on the uppermost metal level of the electrical contactstructures that are coupled to the drain diffusion regions.
 9. Thetransistor of claim 8, further comprising: a bus conductor comprising ageometric feature on the side of the first metal rectangle that isopposite the side where the source-drain terminals reside, wherein thebus conductor is coupled to the first interconnect, wherein the firstinterconnect includes only metal levels other than the first metallevel, and wherein the first interconnect crosses over the first metalrectangle.
 10. The transistor of claim 9, wherein the first interconnectis at least partially overlapping a source electrical contact structure,and wherein the first interconnect includes only metal levels other thanthe next metal level formed above the first metal level.
 11. Thetransistor of claim 7, further comprising: a transistor structurecomprising: at least one transistor structure gate rectangle, whereintransistor structure gate rectangles are oriented in the same direction;at least one transistor structure source electrical contact structure;at least one transistor structure drain electrical contact structure; atransistor structure source terminal, wherein the transistor structuresource terminal is coupled to the at least one transistor structuresource electrical contact structure; a transistor structure drainterminal, wherein the transistor structure drain terminal is coupled tothe at least one transistor structure drain, electrical contactstructure; a transistor structure first metal rectangle, wherein thetransistor structure first metal rectangle is on a first metal level,and wherein the transistor structure first metal rectangle is coupled tothe at least one transistor structure gate rectangle at the first end ofthe at least one transistor structure gate rectangle; a transistorstructure second metal rectangle, wherein the transistor structuresecond metal rectangle is on as first metal level, and wherein thetransistor structure second metal rectangle is coupled to the at leastone transistor structure gate rectangle at the second end of the atleast one transistor structure gate rectangle; and a transistorstructure third metal rectangle, wherein the transistor structure thirdmetal rectangle is coupled to the transistor structure first and thetransistor structure second metal rectangles.
 12. The transistor ofclaim 11, wherein the transistor structure source terminal is coupled tothe source terminal of the transistor, wherein the transistor structuredrain terminal is coupled to the drain terminal of the transistor,wherein the third metal rectangle of the transistor is physicallyadjacent to the transistor structure third metal rectangle, and whereinthe third metal rectangle of the transistor is coupled to the transistorstructure third metal rectangle.
 13. The transistor of claim 9, furthercomprising: a transistor structure comprising: at least one transistorstructure gate rectangle, wherein transistor structure gate rectanglesare oriented in the same direction; at least one transistor structuresource electrical contact structure; at least one transistor structuredrain electrical contact structure; a transistor structure sourceterminal, wherein the transistor structure source terminal is coupled tothe at least one transistor structure source electrical contactstructure; a transistor structure drain terminal, wherein the transistorstructure drain terminal is coupled to the at least one drain electricalcontact structure; a transistor structure first metal rectangle, whereinthe transistor structure first metal rectangle is on a first metal, andwherein the transistor structure first metal rectangle is coupled to theat least one transistor structure gate rectangle at first end of the atleast one transistor structure gate rectangle; a transistor structuresecond metal rectangle, wherein the transistor structure second metalrectangle is on a first metal level, and wherein the transistorstructure second metal rectangle is coupled to the at least onetransistor structure gate rectangle at the second end of the at leastone transistor structure gate rectangle; and a transistor structurethird metal rectangle, wherein the transistor structure third metalrectangle is coupled to the transistor structure first and thetransistor structure second metal rectangles, wherein the transistorstructure source terminal is coupled to the source terminal of thetransistor, wherein the transistor structure drain terminal is coupledto the drain terminal of the transistor, wherein the first metalrectangle of the transistor is physically adjacent to the transistorstructure second metal rectangle, and wherein the first metal rectangleof the transistor is coupled to the transistor structure second metalrectangle. 14.-17. (canceled)